Schumer to Biden: Prioritize NY with Distribution of Anti-Viral Treatments

By: Rusty Brooks

According to The New York Post, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer gave a press conference on January 2, 2021 over the ‘Tamiful” Antiviral for Covid. Schumer wants Biden to prioritize hard-hit New York State when it comes to distribution of medicines to help those fighting COVID-19. Schumer states, “It’s a new weapon that we have to fight this Omicron COVID-19,” Schumer said of two new drugs recently approved by the FDA during a press briefing in Manhattan. “I’m calling on the federal government, which has bought all available [COVID] antivirals, to put New York at the top of the list as it distributes these.”

Schumer went on to say, “We (New York City) are number one in terms of the COVID cases, we are number one in terms of density, we are number on in terms of per capita, and so we deserve to get as many of these antivirals as quickly as possible,” he said. “The federal government should not distribute them across the board. They should look at where is the greatest need.” The New York Post reports, “We are number one in terms of the COVID cases, we are number one in terms of density, we are number on in terms of per capita, and so we deserve to get as many of these antivirals as quickly as possible,” he said. “The federal government should not distribute them across the board. They should look at where is the greatest need.”

David Meyer of The New York Post reports,”the Food and Drug Administration authorized Merck’s antiviral pill molnupiravir and Pfizer’s paxlovid late last month. The Pfizer drug is permitted for anyone over 12, while Merck’s product is currently for ages 18 and up. Both drugs have been proven to reduce risk of hospitalization or death among COVID-19 patients — but both are in limited supply. New York City residents who want the at-home treatments must do so through a pharmaceutical delivery service called Alto Pharmacy.”

The Biden administration is holding back therapeutics across the nation. The media has ignored this dangerous action, which is costing lives.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo directly criticized the administration in a letter on Tuesday for “actively preventing” distribution of the treatments, noting they could be used in delta variant cases of the virus.

“The sudden suspension of multiple monoclonal antibody therapy treatments from distribution to Florida removes a health care provider’s ability to decide the best treatment options for their patients in their state,” the letter read, criticizing the “shortsightedness” of the Biden administration.

The Department of Health and Human Services responded to Ladapo’s letter noting that the federal government would continue to provide some antibody treatments but did not specifically address reports of the shortages.

“The federal government has and will continue to supply Florida with treatments that can help improve patient outcomes, reduce stress on healthcare facilities, and save lives,” they said in a statement to Fox News.

In Fredericksburg, Virginia, shortages for the treatment have lead to clinic closures, denying access for people trying to fight the virus.

Texas is also experiencing shortages across the state, noting that since only the sotrovimab treatment is provided supplies have run short.